Which Clinic Policies Should Be Drafted First?

Published September 23, 2026 · 2 minute read

Draft first the policies that other documents refer to. Most practices find these are the documents that define roles, oversight, and how records are kept, because forms, protocols, and training materials all point back to them. Drafting in reference order means later documents can cite finished ones instead of placeholders.

Why order matters

When policies are drafted in whatever order feels urgent, later documents end up referencing policies that do not exist yet or that change after the fact. A consent form might refer to a record-keeping policy, and a protocol might refer to a role definition. If those foundations shift, every document that references them needs revising.

This is a sequencing method, not a list of required policies. Which policies your practice needs comes from your verification trail and your accountable prescriber.

Finding the reference order

List every policy and form you plan to have. For each, note which other documents it would cite. Documents that are cited often and cite little should come first. Documents that cite many others, such as orientation materials, come last because they summarize everything else.

Placeholders are fine if tracked

When a document must be drafted before the policy it cites, insert a clearly marked placeholder and add an entry to the open questions register. Replace it when the cited policy is signed, and record the revision.

What to record

• Policy or form name
• Documents it cites
• Documents that cite it
• Draft order position
• Placeholders present and their register entries
• Owner and target date

The sequence this supports is in How to Open a Med Spa. Track the status of each draft in the opening document inventory.